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Fox News Goes After Bulletstorm, Claims Games Like It Increase Sex Crimes

Just when you thought Fox News couldn't be any more sensational about video games...

Let's get this out of the way immediately: this story comes from Fox News. What's the organization that sensationally described Mass Effect as Luke Skywalker meets Debbie Does Dallas have to say about video games this time? It's a doozy: Bulletstorm might be "the worst video game in the world" and games like it are responsible "in large part" for the statistical rise nationally in sexual assaults.

In a story published today on FoxNews.com, writer John Brandon asks, "Is Bulletstorm the worst video game in the world?" Citing the game's over-the-top violence, gore, and profanity, Brandon says what makes Bulletstorm uniquely controversial is its Skill Shots system.

"The in-game awards system, called Skill Shots, ties the ugly, graphic violence into explicit sex acts: 'topless' means cutting a player in half, while a 'gang bang' means killing multiple enemies. And with kids as young as 9 playing such games, the experts FoxNews.com spoke with were nearly universally worried that video game violence may be reaching a fever pitch."

Psychologist Carol Lieberman, a regular talking head on TV news programs, told Fox that sexual situations and acts in video games lead to real-world sexual violence, going so far as to claim:

"The increase in rapes can be attributed in large part to the playing out of [sexual] scenes in video games."

The article goes on to throw the ESRB under the bus and use Bulletstorm as the poster child for passing a law that makes selling or renting violent video games to minors a crime.

UPDATE: Bulletstorm publisher Electronic Arts issued the following statement in response to the Fox News story: "Bulletstorm is rated M for Mature for blood and gore, intense violence, partial nudity, sexual themes, strong language and use of alcohol. The game and its marketing adhere to all guidelines set forth by the ESRB; both are designed for people 17+. Never is the game marketed to children."

"Epic, People Can Fly and EA support the right of artists to create works of entertainment fiction for consumers of all ages, including adults who enjoy action adventures like Bulletstorm. Much like Tarantino's Kill Bill or Rodriguez's Sin City, this game is an expression of creative entertainment for adults."

Sharkey says: If Fox thinks Bulletstorm is bad, wait until the organization gets ahold of Duke Nukem Forever -- not that anyone associated with Fox will ever actually play the game. Really though, this is just laughable. And if Ms. Lieberman honestly believes games are "in large part" responsible for the increase in rapes, by the same logic she must believe games are responsible for the overall drop in violent crimes nationwide over the past decade. Cliffy B. is right: the media has turned video games into the new rock 'n' roll.